Tiltable beds



United States Patent 3,284,815 TILTABLE BEDS Abraham Grossman, 710Junior Terrace, Chicago, IlL, and Paul Phillips Connor, Evanston, 111.;said Connor assignor to said Grossman Filed Apr. 18, 1963, Ser. No.274,050 15 Claims. (Cl. 62)

This invention relates to longitudinally tiltable beds or platforms, andmore particularly to such beds employed for the use of invalids andincapacitated persons, and for use as X-r-ay tables.

Tiltable beds are advantageously used for paraplegics and othercomparable invalid patients, who are paralyzed and unable to movecertain parts of their bodies. These patients are not able to rollthemselves over, or otherwise move to one side or the other of a bed,and so changing the bed linen for such patients has been difiicult.

Placing such a patient in a longitudinally tiltable bed facilitatescaring for such a patient, with respect to Chang ing the bed linen,bathing the patients back, and the like.

Such a bed is simply tilted, whereby a patient may, without difficulty,be rolled by a single person to the downhill side of the bed, eventhough he is not able to move himself. The bed linen may be changed bytilting the bed and rolling the patient first to one side and then tothe other, in this manner. When the bed is tilted to one side, thesoiled linen is rolled-up to the center of the bed, and replaced byfresh linen, which is also partly rolled at the center of the bed. Whenthe bed is thereafter tilted to the other side, the other half of thesoiled linen may be removed, and the fresh linen rolled out to cover theremainder of the bed. The same method may be employed to roll thepatient over so as to bathe his back, and the like.

Moreover, it is often desirable to take an X-ray exposure of a patientlying on his side, such exposure being known as a lateral decubitus,Such lateral decubitus X- ray films are ordinarily taken first with thepatient lying on one side, and then an identical view is taken with thepatient lying on his other side. These films facilitate the diagnosis ofa number of disorders including perforated ulcers and polyps or ulcersin the large intestine.

It has not been possible heretofore to conveniently take such X-rayfilms when the patient is incapacitated, and for any reason is not ableto support himself on his side. It has therefore been necessary in thepast to either avoids taking such films altogether in such cases or toemploy the assistance of several persons in holding the patient in theappropriate position. It has also been difficult to rapidly obtain anumber of different X-ray films taken at various angles to the body,particularly when the patient is unable to cooperate in assuming thedesired positions. Speed of movement is important in many situations,e.g., when a substance such as barium has been introduced into thepatient, and which may disperse or be expelled after a short time.

In order for a tiltable bed or X-ray table to be safe for use, it musthave some mechanism to prevent the patient from falling or rollingentirely out of the bed. The present invention provides novel sidepanels which are readily adjustable, which adapt tiltable beds for useunder varying conditions. The side panels may be selectively eitherautomatically caused to come into patientretaining position as the bedis tilted, or may be adjusted manually.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention toprovide a bed which may be tilted about a longitudinal axis, such bedhaving a selectively adjustable side panel mechanism.

This and other objects and advantages of the present invention will bemore fully understood with reference "ice to the accompanyingspecification, drawings and claims.

In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a frame,and a tiltable bed surface mounted for rotation about a longitudinalaxis with respect to the frame. A pair of side panels are provided whichare also adapted for rotation with respect to the frame, said sidepanels being selectively elevated relative to the plane of the bedportion as the latter is tilted.

Reference will now be made to the accompanying specification anddrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an end elevation of a tiltable X-ray table constructed inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the table of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the table of FIGS. 1 and 2, illustratingthe table in tilted position;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of a tiltable bed constructed in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the bed of FIG. 4 with the mattress and springsremoved; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the bed of FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 a tiltableX-ray table having a frame comprising a pair of end panels 10 and 12joined together with a pair of side members 14 and 16 which are securedat their respective ends to the end panels 10 and 12. A shaft .18 isjournaled for rotation in the upper portions of the end panels 10 and12, and supports a bed member 20 in tiltable relation with the endpanels 10 and 12, and with the side panels 14 and 16. A film holder 21is secured to the bottom of the bed member 20, to receive film to beexposed by X-rays. A gear 22 is fixed to the shaft 18 at one end thereofand meshes with a gear 24 fixed to a shaft 26 jou-rnaled for rotation inthe end member 12. The shaft 26 is connected to a crank 28 by which thetable portion 20 may be tilted relative to the frame by rotation of themeshing gears 22 and 24. A latch 25 is mounted on the end panel 12 inslidable relation therewith, to selectively lock the gears 22 and 24,thereby holding the bed member 20 in any desired position.

A pair of side panels 27 and 29 are arcuately formed and their freeupper ends terminate in the same plane as upper surface of the bedmember 20. The lower ends of each of the side panels 27 and 29 areinterconnected by a pair of beams 31 bolted to the respective ends ofeach of the side panels 27 and 29. An upstanding support member 33 isconnected to each of the beams 31, and each of the support members 33 isprovided with a bore to permit the shaft 18 to pass therethrough. Aplurality of transverse struts 35 are also interconnected between theside panels 27 and 29, intermediate the two beams 31. Both of the sidepanels 27 and 29, together with the truss including the beams 31, thesupport members 33, and the struts 35, are therefore rotatably mountedon the shaft 18 for rotation with respect to the end panels 10 and 12independently of the bed member 20.

The center of gravity of the truss including the side panels 27 and 29is directly below the shaft 18 when in a level position, as illustratedin FIGS. 1 and 2; so that no clamp need be provided to maintain the sidepanels in level position.

In FIG. 3, the table is illustrated with the bed member 20 in tiltedposition, and it is seen that the side panel 27 prevents a patient lyingon the table member 20 from being displaced from the table member 20.The angular movement of the table member 20 is limited in each directionby a pair of shafts 30 and 32 extending between the end panels 10 and12. The side panels 27 and 29 are also tilted with respect to the endpanels 10 and 12, because the lower edge of the bed member 20' bearsagainst the struts 35 to rotate the side panels 27 and 29 3 with the bedmember 20, after the latter has rotated through a limited angle.

The end panels and 12 of the table may be constructed of any desiredstructural material such as steel or the like, and the side panels 27and 29 are preferably constructed of the same material. The bed member20, however, is preferably constructed of a material which istransparent to X-rays. Such materials are Bakelite, plastic materialssuch as epoxy resin, and wood. None of these materials have anappreciable absorption of X rays passing therethrough, and so films maybe taken with the use of the present invention without undue amount ofshadows on the X-ray film. When a lateral decubitus film is desired, thebed member is tilted as illustrated in FIG. 3, and the film in the filmholder 21 is exposed by X rays directed normally to the plane of the bedmember 20.

When the X-ray table of FIGS. 1 to 3 is used, a patient is placed on thetable member 20 and rotated by turning the crank 28 to the desiredposition. One person may conveniently turn the crank 28 for the purposeof tilting the table, while the side panels 27 and 29 insure that thepatient will be held in place on the table. The latch is then engagedwith the teeth of the gear 24, to insure that the table portion 20remains in the desired position. The side panels 27 and 29, and theirsupporting truss, are maintained in the position illustrated in FIG. 3,by the weight of the truss itself acting through its center of gravitywhich has been displaced toward the up-hill side. If desired, the bedmember 20 may be locked to the side panel mechanism by inserting a pin34 through an aperture in the side panel 27 and screwing it into athreaded bore in the bed member 20 aligned therewith. The side panels 27and 29 then move with the bed member 20, as it is rotated. Thisfacilitates transfer of the patient between the bed member 20 andanother surface at a different elevation, such as a cart or the likeupon which the patient is carried to and from the X- ray equipment.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 to 6, there is illustrated a tiltable invalidbed for hospital use or the like, constructed in accordance with thepresent invention.

The bed comprises a pair of end panels 40 and 42, which are heldtogether by side member 44 and 46 secured thereto. A shaft 48 isjournaled for rotation in opposed apertures near the top of the endpanels 40* and 42. On the shaft 48 there is pivotally mounted a mattresssupporting truss including a plurality of transverse beam members 50 to54 which are adapted to support a mattress 56. A pair of longitudinalmembers 58 and 60 are connected to each of the transverse members 50 to54 and also serve to support the mattress 56.

The side panels 57 and 59 are disposed outwardly of the longitudinalmembers 58 and 60 and outwardly of the mattress 56, and serve to retainthe mattress 56 in proper position. A pair of transverse beam members 61are bolted between opposing ends of the side panels 44- and 46, and eachis provided with an upstanding support member 63 rotatably supported onthe shaft 48.

One of a pair of trusses is connected to each of the endrnost beammembers 50 and 54, to prevent such beams from deflecting under load.Each truss comprises a vertical member 66 connected to the center of itsrespective beam member 50 or 54, and a pair of inclined members 68 and70 connected between the ends of their respective transverse members 50and 54 and and the lower end of the vertical member 66.

The two trusses at each end of the bed, in addition to maintaining themattress 56 in a plane, also act as counterweights to lower the centerof gravity of the mattress supporting truss. This permits the bed to beboth tilted and returned to horizontal positon with about the sameamount of force.

A motor 72 provides the motive power for tilting the bed. The shaft 74of the motor is connected to one end of a crankshaft 7 6, the other endof which is pivotally connected to one end of a connecting rod 78 by ashaft 80. The connecting rod 80 is pivotally connected to the beam 53 bya shaft 82. The motor 72 is preferably a reversible motor, and isprovided with switch means for selectively energizing it for forward orreverse rotation, and control means for selecting the speed of rotation.The bed may thus be adjusted to any desired degree of tilt simply byenergizing the motor in the appropriate direction. 1

In the use of the bed illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6, a patient may beconveniently rolled from one side of the bed to the other, simply byenergizing the motor 72 to tilt the plane of the mattress to anappropriate angle, whereupon the patient may easily be rolled in thedownhill direction by a single attendant, even though the patient iscompletely incapacitated. In this manner, the patient may be shiftedfrom his back to his stomach, etc., and may be moved from one side ofthe bed to the other in order to change the bed linen, or to bathe thepatient, and the like. The mattress supporting truss rotatesindependently until one of the longitudinal members 58 and 60 reachesone of the transverse beam member 61 of the side panel assembly, afterwhich the mattress supporting truss and the side panel assembly rotatetogether.

The bed of FIGS. 4 to 6 is also advantageously used in the treatment ofpatients recovering from pneumonia or other maladies which arefrequently accompanied by pulmonary congestion. When so used, the bed iscyclically tilted from side to side, and the direction of tilt isoccasionally alternated. Such an occasional reversal of the direction oftilt is also useful in treating patients who have circulationdifficulties, whether of a cardiac or kidney origin. The cyclicaltilting back and forth is performed by continuously energizing the motor72. The speed of rotation of the motor is adjusted individually for eachpatient, and the period of each cycle is preferably about 10 to 30minutes.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the crank may be optionallyreplaced by a motorized arrangement whereby the bed may be tilted byrotation of an electric motor or the like. The bed of either embodimentmay also be provided with means for raising and lowering it in avertical direction. Such eXpedients are well-known to those skilled inthe art, and therefore need not be specifically described.

The foregoing will so fully and completely describe the presentinvention as to enable those skilled in the art, by applying currentknowledge, to adapt the same for varying conditions of service, withoutdeparting from the essential features of novelty involved, which areintended to be defined and secured by the following claims:

What is claimed is:

1. A tilting bed comprising a frame, a horizontal shaft supported bysaid frame, a bed platform rotatably mounted on said shaft, said bedplatform having a substantially plane surface for supporting a patient,a pair of side panels, a first support member interconnecting said sidepanels, and a second support member secured to said first support memberand rotatable on said shaft for rotatably supporting said side panels onsaid shaft independently of said b'ed platform, whereby said bedplatform and said side panels may rotate independently relative to saidframe.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bed platform comprisesan X-ray table composed of material substantially transparent to X-rays.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bed platform comprises amattress-supporting truss having a plurality of transverse membersadapted to support a mattress for rotation relative to said frame, and amattress supported on said truss.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, including selectively operable meansfor rotating said bed platform relative to said frame, and selectivelyoperable means for restrain ing said bed platform from rotating relativeto said frame.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for preventing saidbed platform from rotating beyond a first predetermined angle and forpreventing said side panels from rotating beyond a second predeterminedangle, said second predetermined angle being less than said firstpredetermined angle.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said side panels eachcomprise an arcuate member forming a circular cylinder axially alignedwith said axis, the upper portion of each of said side panelsterminating flush with the surface of said bed platform.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first support membercomprises a plurality of beams connected to form a rigid assembly, saidassembly having a center of gravity disposed below said axis.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said assembly normallyassumes a condition in which said beams are horizontally disposed, butassumes a tilted condition in response to said bed platform being tiltedthrough more than a predetermined angle.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein one of said beams isinterposed in the path of said bed platform as it is tilted about saidshaft, to cause said assembly to be tilted in the same direction as saidplatform after said bed platform has been tilted into contact with saidbeam.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper edges of said sidepanels terminate below said surface when said bed platform ishorizontally disposed, and one of said side panels is raised relative tosaid surface as said surface is tilted with the down-hill side of saidsurface toward said side panel.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said one side panel israised relative to said surface until said bed platform has been tiltedthrough a predetermined angle, said side panel remaining in fixedrelation to said surface as said bed platform is tilted beyond saidpredetermined angle.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for locking said bedplatform and said side panels to gether so that both of said side panelsrotate with said bed platform about said axis.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, including a truss connected to saidbed platform, said truss extending below said axis to lower the centerof gravity of said bed platform toward said axis.

14. A tiltable bed according to claim 1, including means forcontinuously cyclically tilting said bed platform relative to saidframe.

15. A tilting bed comprising a frame, a horizontal shaft supported bysaid frame, a bed platform rotatably mounted on said shaft, said bedplatform having a substantially plane surface for supporting a patient,a side panel disposed adjacent one side of said bed platform, said sidepanel being substantially normal to said plane surface, and a supportmember secured to said side panel and rotatably mounted on said shaftindependently of said bed platform, whereby said bed platform and saidside panel may rotate independently relative to said frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 728,865 5/ 1903Cheetham 561 1,122,251 12/1914 Campbell 561 1,573,571 2/1926 Pohl 5611,823,013 9/1931 Wantz 5236 1,962,988 6/1934 Fulton 31223 1 3,013,28112/1961 Steiner 562 3,093,836 6/ 1963 Christensen et a1. 560

FOREIGN PATENTS 210,469 10/1957 Australia. 1,098,719 8/1955 France.1,248,020 10/1960 France.

13,532 6/1910 Great Britain.

466,091 10/ 1951 Italy.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, CASMIR A. NUNBERG,

Examiners.

1. A TILTING BED COMPRISING A FRAME, A HORIZONTAL SHAFT SUPPORTED BYSAID FRAME, A BED PLATFORM ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT, SAID BEDPLATFORM HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY PLANE SURFACE FOR SUPPORTING A PATIENT,A PAIR OF SIDE PANELS, A FIRST SUPPORT MEMBER INTERCONNECTING SAID SIDEPANELS, AND A SECOND SUPPORT MEMBER SECURED TO SAID FIRST SUPPORT MEMBERAND ROTATABLE ON SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID SIDE PANELS ONSAID SHAFT INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID BED PLATFORM, WHEREBY SAID BED PLATFORMAND SAID SIDE PANELS MAY ROTATE INDEPENDENTLY RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME.